My mother had breast cancer - I'm 18.. Should i go for a routine check up any time soon?
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my mum found out she had breast cancer in november,after 2 operations and 15 sessions of radiotherapy,she has been given the all clear, my mum found a lump in her right breast but when she went to the doctors,they were more concerned about her left breast because the nipple was inverted,it turned out the lump in her right breast was a cyst,but she had actually got invasive cancer in her left breast,(where there wasnt a lump), i am 27 with 4 children,and keep looking at my breasts thinking does my nipple look funny? is that a lump under my armpit? maybe you should go to see you gp and ask for a genes test,apparently if your mother has suffered with breast cancer then this test is available,i've been meaning to have one myself,but i keep putting it off,now i've read your question,its pushed me more to it,i'm going to make an appointment tomorrow.i cant put it off no longer.better to be safe than sorry.
I would think as in any time . When you think your breasts are not working very well , just go to see a doctor.
you should be having an annual exam every year at your doctor. Plus you should be doing a monthly self breast exam every month. If you have fears talk to your mom and talk to the doctor tell them how you feel and let them help you work through it.
Go to your doctor, he/she will then tell you if you need to worry and offer any guidance needed.
When it comes to your health, do what you have to do to stay healthy. You would not be the first young lady to do so; some even younger than you are doing it. Even men can get breast cancer, so it is not panicking. It is being wise.
I am sorry your Mother suffered from breast cancer BUT she has survived which is fantastic. At 18 it would be very unusual for you to have breast cancer.
I can understand your fear. I would suggest a visit to your GP so that you can discuss your fears with him/her and that you would like regular breast examination. However they will encourage you to do this yourself as well. That is because you are more likely to feel real differences in the breast tissue. For your own sanity then maybe ask your GP if he/she would do this breast check for you annually? But do learn to do this yourself as well on a monthly basis but not on your period as they tend to be painful and lumpy then.
You are not being silly at all. But please remember that just because your Mum had cancer does not automatically mean you will get it. You may be able to have a test to see if you are at risk. Speak to your GP but don't spend the rest of your life worrying.
Thankfully cancer treatments are improving all the time too. I am a cancer research supporter as it has a special place in my heart.
I am sure you will be fine x
it doesnt sound silly at all, i hate having to check my chest but u will have to get to know ur body hon, u can speak to ur doctor about getting them checked tho
If you have found a lump or something, then yes.
i read in an article last week that if someone in your immediate family is diagnosed, then you should start getting regular mammograms five years before the age they were diagnosed. you should be doing a self exam monthly though. you need to know how your breasts feel normally so that you can recognize any changes. make sure you do it a week- two weeks after your period so your breasts aren't as tender. alsoooo... since you're 18 you need to be seing a gynocologist yearly (even if you're not sexually active) and they do a manual breast exam there. hope this helped!
A small minority of breast cancers are caused by genetic inheritance. This is caused by the BRCA1 gene. If your mother had breast cancer at an early age, or she has other relatives with either breast or ovarian cancer I would be concerned.
Either way I would make an appointment with my GP and explain my concerns.
The age of onset of her cancer would be important and also whether she was your only female relative with the disease. 85% of patients who develop breast cancer have no family history at all. To be significant you need 2 near relatives, and/or an early onset case in a relative. Get your GP to refer you for councelling if either is the case.
Yes; there is strong evidence to show the possibility of certain cancer genes in some families. You would have regular mammograms and learn to self-examine thouroughly. Good on you.You can start now if you like, you are the right age!
You have to start your checks with your first period and once a year.
i had breast cancer and was told as i was pre-menopause (i was 32) my daughters should be checked from age 20. there is no reason why u shouldnt visit yr gp and ask them to check ur ok and explain why ur worried. its unlikely at yr age that there would be anything wrong but better to be sure
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